Tech Strategy Alignment for AEC Firms by Dustin Burns

Dustin Burns, Vice President of Information Technology at McCownGordon Construction

The AEC industry is transforming rapidly, and change is piling up on top of your most valuable people. In this article, I'll lay out five principles you can adopt to align your tech strategy to grow your business, be more efficient, and have happier associates, partners, and customers.

Symptoms of Tech Strategy Misalignment

• Chasing shiny objects, looking for problems to solve
• Associates are confused with the ever-changing tech stack
• Failure to fully adopt technology solutions across the business
• Reporting is a struggle, and you're throwing FTEs at data problems
• Entering data in multiple places, or better yet, you have a team that does that

Principle 1: Culture

The foundation of aligning your tech strategy is to enable a culture that embraces technology and change. This means having a leadership team that is supportive of tech adoption and a workforce that is trained and comfortable using new technologies.
• Lead by example. The leadership team should be using technology in their own work and be vocal about their support for tech adoption.
• Build a culture of learning. Invest in training and development of all kinds. Make sure that your associates have the skills they need to use new technologies effectively.
• Create a culture of innovation. Encourage associates to experiment with new technologies and to share their ideas. Build in feedback loops.

Principle 2: Leadership

Leaders play a critical role in aligning tech strategy with business priorities. Leaders need to have a clear vision for the future of the firm, and they need to be able to communicate that vision to their team.

To effectively lead a tech strategy alignment initiative, leaders need to have a good understanding of both technology and business. They also need to be able to build consensus and get people on board with change.

Here are some tips for leading a tech strategy alignment initiative:

• Identify how technology enables your vision of the future. Paint that picture clearly with unified messaging so that everyone understands what's expected of them.
• Help prioritize enterprise initiatives that align them with technologies to invest in.
• Build consensus and get people on board with change.
• Put as much or more effort into communication around changes as you do in implementation.
• Be thankful for feedback and adjust as needed.

Principle 3: Change Management

Once you have a tech strategy in place, you need to implement it. This can be a challenging task, as it often requires changing the way people work. You'll need to identify the key stakeholders who will be impacted by the change and develop a plan to manage their resistance to change.

Here are some tips for implementing a tech strategy:
• Have a plan that lets people know what is expected of them.
• Let people know what is in it for them. Understanding the positive impact of the change helps overcome objections.
• Communicate the change to associates early and often. You don't want the rumor mill to be the lead communication.
• Explain how training will prepare your associates to leverage the new technology.
• Be patient and supportive. Cruise ships don't make 90-degree turns.

Principle 4: Training

Training is essential for ensuring that associates are able to use new technologies effectively. Training should be tailored to the specific needs of the associates, and it should be delivered in a way that is engaging and informative.

"Training is essential for ensuring that associates are able to use new technologies effectively"

Here are some tips for providing effective training:
• Assess the needs of your associates. What technologies do they need to learn how to use? What is their skill level?
• Tailor the training to the needs of your associates. Don't waste their time by teaching them things that they already know or won't use for a year.
• Use a variety of training methods. Lectures, hands-on exercises, and case studies can all be effective training methods.
• Make the training engaging and informative. Use real-world examples and make the training relevant to the associates' work. Let front-line associates lead training for their peers.

Principle 5: The Feedback Loop

Once you have implemented a new technology and trained your associates on how to use it, you need to get feedback from your associates. This feedback will help you to identify any areas where the technology could be improved.
• Establish a process for collecting feedback. This could involve surveys, focus groups, or one-on-one interviews.
• Analyze the feedback. Once you have collected feedback, take the time to analyze it and identify any common themes or concerns.
• Demonstrate that you're listening. Implement strategy changes from feedback and let associates know that you are.

In conclusion, aligning your tech strategy is essential for the growth and success of your AEC firm. By following the five principles outlined in this article, you can create a tech strategy that is aligned with your business goals and that meets the needs of your associates, partners, and clients.